New Ravens TE Daniels has something to prove

New Ravens TE Daniels has something to prove

Baltimore Ravens tight end Owen Daniels smiles as he waits to be introduced by head coach John Harbaugh during an NFL football news conference, Friday, April 4, 2014, at the team's practice facility in Owings Mills, Md. Daniels, a former member of Houston Texans, joins his former head coach, Gary Kubiak, who is now Baltimore's offensive coordinator. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Daniels is a two-time Pro Bowler. He has been one of the most productive players at his position during the last decade, even last season at age 31.

But after spending the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the Houston Texans, he was released by the Texans on March 11.

Now with the Ravens, Daniels wants to show he can be the same type of playmaker that he was for so many years in Houston.

He signed a one-year contract with Baltimore on Friday.

''When you're with a franchise for that long and then they obviously decide that you're not good enough for them anymore and they want to go in a different direction, that definitely gives you a big chip (on your shoulder) and gets you motivated,'' Daniels said.

Even aside from that, Daniels is simply looking forward to getting back on the field.

He had 24 catches for 252 yards and three touchdowns in the Texans' first five games last season, but he missed the final 11 games with a leg injury.

''I'm excited to get back out there, get back to work and remind of what I did the year before and in the first five games last year,'' Daniels said.

The year before, Daniels was selected to the Pro Bowl after catching 62 passes for 716 yards and six touchdowns.

He has had 677 yards or more in each of the four seasons he has played in at least 15 games.

And in Baltimore, Daniels will be reunited with three of his former Texans coaches. Former Houston coach Gary Kubiak is the Ravens' offensive coordinator. Former Texans tight ends coach Brian Pariani now holds that same position in Baltimore, and former Houston offensive coordinator Rick Dennison is the Ravens' quarterbacks coach.

''Coach Kubiak, being in his offense for eight years and coming here, it's a player-friendly offense, a tight end friendly offense,'' Daniels said. ''You spread the ball around to a lot of people.''

The Ravens already had tight end Dennis Pitta, who they re-signed to a five-year contract earlier this offseason, but Kubiak's offenses with the Texans featured a lot of two tight end sets.

Daniels expects more of the same in Baltimore.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said the team has ''big plans'' for Daniels.

''These are two of the best tight ends in the National Football League who fit this offense really, really well,'' Harbaugh said. ''That's what we're looking at.''